Saturday, February 26, 2011

Covery Crazy is a meme created by Tawni @ The Bookworms to share book covers that you are thrilled about. So this is a day late I know. For some odd reason last night when I got home from work I was possessed to super power clean my kitchen. And do my laundry... weird I know. I don't know what came over me. I about passed out on the couch waiting for a load of laundry to get done. When my mom called from Vegas (I know unfair right? I'm stuck in snow and working ALL weekend and she gets to party in Vegas with her sisters) I finally had the sense to go to bed. So yes onto Cover Crazy! Excuse my blathering. When Firelight first came out I was in love with the cover. Well I think the sequel has surpassed the absolute beauty of the first one!

I have no idea who this is (I'm thinking probably Jacinda's water draki friend...) but hey that's just my guess. It's just soooooo pretty!!!!

Thursday, February 24, 2011

Synopsis: Evie’s always thought of herself as a normal teenager, even though she works for the International Paranormal Containment Agency, her ex-boyfriend is a faerie, she’s falling for a shape-shifter, and she’s the only person who can see through paranormals’ glamours. But Evie’s about to realize that she may very well be at the center of a dark faerie prophecy promising destruction to all paranormal creatures. So much for normal.

My Review:Paranormalcy is one of the most hyped of books of late. So hyped up in fact that I was afraid to read it. I've just read too many books, that everybody just raved about, that I ended up not liking. When I finally bought Paranormalcy I was thinking, "Hey what the heck I'll just buy it." Then it sat on my shelf for ages, too terrified to crack it open. My own mother read it before I did. I can't believe I let it sit un-read for so long. I devoured it in one day. A school day even. Granted I was reading during a movie, and during lunch, but that just shows you how glued to it I was. I was blown away.

I absolutely loved Evie. Everything about her was just awesome, her personality, her obsession with pink, her witty remarks, she was just amazing. If you could pick your best friend, I would pick Evie. She is so friendly and goofy that you can't help but fall in love with her character. Evie's led an incredibly tough life. Her parents abandoned her, she was shuffled in Foster Care until she was eight, and had a very tramatic experience with a vampire. Because of her unique ability to see through paranormal's glamours, she is extremely valuable to IPCA. So valuable in fact that Evie isn't allowed to lead a normal life. She's never gone to school, made human friends, or had something as mundane as a locker. (Inside joke with the locker reference lolz) She is stuck between the world of humanity and the paranormal world. Evie's never had a normal life, and things just keep getting weirder.

Although the whole idea of a paranormal police force has long ago been introduced to the paranormal genre, White defintiely adds her own unique twist. International Paranormal Contral Agency is not just a police force. They tag and monitor all paranormals so that they do not become a threat to humanity. IPCA is all that Evie has ever known, and she accepts their rules and regulations with no questions asked. Until one day a shapeshifter breaks into headquarters and is imprisoned there indefinitely. Evie begins to see that IPCA may not hold all the answers and that their way is not the only one. As the novel progresses, Evie's perception of the world changes and her eyes are finally opened. When paranormals start showing up dead, and the faeries grow ever more insistent on taking Evie, things start to hit the fan.

And now it's time to moon over hot guys. Okay, well, only one guy because I hated Reth with a fiery passion. Lend was just wow. Amazing, fantastic, gorgeous, unique, the list of adjectives goes on and on. He is just about the coolest paranormal creature ever. And quite possibly the hottest. Okay, I'm obsessed. I admit it, but trust me you will be too! Plus he's an artist! My inner art geek just connected. Him and Evie were just utterly perfect. They made my all time favorite couples list. Their relationship was just developed so nicely, and at the perfect pace. I think I finally got my perfect teenage romance. I never thought I'd live to see the day, but boy am I happy I did. I can't commend White enough with how well she developed their relationship.

Another aspect of Paranormalcy that I think is worthy of note is the pacing. A lot of plots are paced too fast, especially in the romance department. White literally had a perfectly paced novel. The story didn't drag, events happened at an even pace, and the climax was all that it lived up to be. All I can say is it was masterfully done. If I didn't know better I'd say this is White's tenth novel, not her debut. I was very impressed to say the least and I can't wait to read more from her.

I can safely say that I'm an utter fangirl now. The story, the characters, and the romance were all wonderful. I'm completely sucked into Evie's world and I am dying for more. And just because I adore the cover, here's a pic of the sequel Supernaturally. Everybody else just as excited as I am?!

Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Okay, I am super excited for this book. Ever since I read the first chapter about two weeks ago I've gone slightly manic. Blog stalking...just a bit! Nothing creepy! Just a bit of obsessive checking. I went to buy it yesterday and discovered that B&N doesn't have paperback copies which to say the least really irked me off. But don't worry! I shall get my copy!!!! I am determined! And to celebrate the launch, Megg is holding one kick ass contest. So you know the "guess how many jelly beans are in a jar" game? I like to think of Sheen from Jimmy Neutron (don't look at me like that, I'm a kid at heart) Well Megg's contest is similar. Guess how many copies of Anathema is sold through March 11th and you could win a Nook or Kindle! And of course a free copy of Anathema. Flippin awesome doesn't even begin to cover it. Plus there are two runner ups!

The rules are simple! You don't have to hit the mark from one guess. You can earn multiple guesses by doing different things. Here's the different ways you can earn guesses.

Here's how to earn guesses: (You can pick & choose, you DO NOT have to do all of them.)

Buy a copy of Anathema (links to everywhere it's sold at the bottom of this post) - 2 guesses

(must prove by emailing me a pic of you with the book or with your e-reader on Chapter Ten of Anathema - your picture may end up on my blog!!!! I cannot guarantee how fast Amazon will ship your book. If the contest is nearly over and your copy hasn't arrived, drop me an email.)

Friday, February 18, 2011

Covery Crazy is a meme created by Tawni @ The Bookworms to share book covers that you are thrilled about. So this week it's really not a new cover. However I did realize something kind of mind blowingly awesome about it that I just had to share. XD I adore Melissa Marr's Wicked Lovely books, and the cover for Darkest Mercy is by far the prettiest. But hey watch this.

Anybody else see what I see? Aislynn vs Donna...cradling a frozen flower vs a blooming one? The models same pose but head turned to the opposite side? The symbolism is killing me in it's epicness! Brilliant! Utterly brilliant. Cover artist, I commend you. Isn't that just the coolest thing you have ever seen?! I can't believe I didn't notice it before. It wasn't until I happened to see a picture of the two by each other for some giveaway that it finally hit me. So cool.

Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Synopsis: Freak. That's what her classmates call seventeen-year-old Donna Underwood. When she was seven, a horrific fey attack killed her father and drove her mother mad. Donna's own nearly fatal injuries from the assault were fixed by magic—the iron tattoos branding her hands and arms. The child of alchemists, Donna feels cursed by the magical heritage that destroyed her parents and any chance she had for a normal life. The only thing that keeps her sane and grounded is her relationship with her best friend, Navin Sharma.When the darkest outcasts of Faerie—the vicious wood elves—abduct Navin, Donna finally has to accept her role in the centuries old war between the humans and the fey. Assisted by Xan, a gorgeous half-fey dropout with secrets of his own, Donna races to save her friend—even if it means betraying everything her parents and the alchemist community fought to the death to protect.

My Review: I can definitely add a new favorite fae book to my pile. You all know how obsessed I am with the fae, and therefore you know how hard it is to discover a unique spin on classic folk lore. The Iron Witch is about as unique as you get. I was absolutely floored by the creativity and ingenuity that went into this novel.

The beginning of this novel is very mysterious. There is no immediate backstory to Donna's past, how she was injured, or even how her hands were different. While I had to read a while to gain the information, I was so glad Mahoney held off on the details. The gradual reveal of Donna's past was masterfully done and ultimately added a lot of depth to the story. I felt more engrossed in the story, almost like as Donna revealed her secrets to her trusted friends, she was in turn revealing them to me as well.

I love, love, LOVED the alchemical aspect of this novel. And it wasn't the wattered down version of alchemy we get to see in The Immortals books. (sorry if you like them, but just yuck) While the reader doesn't get too many details of the Order of the Dragon, it all just adds to that sense of mystery. There were so many unanswered questions that there's no way the future books won't delve even deeper into the alchemy. Donna's knowledge of the Order changes during the novel. It's the organization she was born to, her birthright, and yet she knows barely anything about it's true purpose. She's always trusted the Order, if not being a tad rebellious to the fact that they're forcing her to follow in her parents footsteps, yet when Navin is kidnapped she begins to question everything she has been taught. The mysteries surrounding the night her hands her injured are begging to be brought to light, and Donna won't stop asking questions until she gets her answers.

I really liked the new spin on the Fae. The wood elves are a group of fae who refused to pay the Tithe and as a result, were sealed off from Faerie and left to rot in the mortal world with it's growing threat of iron. As the iron began to twist and madden the elves, they grew more cruel as well. They are portrayed as nasty violent creatures who are deserving of their own destruction. The combination between the two very different worlds, alchemy and Faerie, was masterfully done. The Order is there to guard the human world from the threat of the wood elves, or at least that is what Donna has always been told. The Order's true intentions come into question and Donna doesn't know who to believe anymore. The Order who raised her, or the Wood Queen who claims that the night Donna was "kidnapped" by the elves was no such thing.

Speaking of faeries, then there's Xan. I was really kind of surprised that I liked him as much as I did. Usually when those love triangles involving the best friend and the hot new dangerous guy appear in a story, I always root for the underdog. It's hard to say who I liked more. Xan or Navin. Very tough decision. What I really loved about Xan and Donna's growing relationship was that it was founded on trust. Xan and Donna both come from worlds of secrecy. When the meet, the attraction is definitely there, but it is the ability to truly be themselves around each other that their relationship truly grows. Did their relationship go a tad fast for only knowing each other three days? Definitely, but I still thought it was sweet. Plus well Xan sounds absolutely deliciouso. Haha.

There were some seemingly trivial aspects of this novel that I think really added to it. This is the first YA novel I've read that had a gay couple. Not the token gay best friend! But two people with an actual relationship. While the two characters weren't very prominent in the story, I really appreciated their addition. Also the fact that Navin and his family were Hindu. I loved Mahoney's use of diversity, and it definitely added to the story.

There is only one or two things that I did not like about this book. I didn't really feel all that connected to Donna. While I really enjoyed her as a character, the emotional connection just wasn't there for me. Maybe it's because it was written in third person (I'm just a first person fan), who knows. While that was relatively minor for me, the ending just about ruined the entire book for me. Throughout the book Donna had journal entries. These entries were used as a way to condense a potentially long backstory and explanation into just a few pages. And what do I find on the last two pages? A JOURNAL ENTRY! I was PISSED OFF. It was like a condensed epilogue! But not even an epilogue! It was awful! I felt like I was cheated out of an ending! Anything would have been better than that! Leave it at a cliff hanger for all I care, and then do backstory in the second one! Just NOT that! It almost affected my review on the book. Almost. I loved it up until the end, but gah. Awful.

So despite my rant on the ending (trust me you will feel the same) I really did greatly enjoy this book. I'm really looking forward to the sequel. There were so many loose ends that I'm dying to find out. Mahoney definitely knows how to keep a reader hooked, and I can't wait for more. Minus the journal entries at least. XD

Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Since I have nothing better to do at 10 o'clock at night I figured I'd share some contests that are going on in the blogging world!

My good friend Alexa @ Pages of Forbidden Love is having a freaking awesome 6 month Anniversary Giveaway for her blog. There are 6 different prize packages! And 3 winners! Can it get any better? So get your butts over there and enter!

Then Sherry @ Flipping Pages for All Ages is having her 300th post on her blog and is celebrating almost 800 followers! She's giving away a copy of Divergent which I am totally psyched for! She has nothing but fab things to say, so I am greatly anticipating this book.

So if you're like me, putting off sleep and killing time, go enter in these two contests!

Monday, February 14, 2011

Well I had an awful Valentine's Day. I won't go into it because I know none of you want to hear me moan and complain, but let's just say I delt with 345 pizzas...the majority of them being "heart shaped". So ya, FUN day. I hope you all had a better day than I did. Mostly revolving around chocolate of course. XD And without further ado here are the winners of the Valentine's Day Giveaway!

Congrats to Zombie Girl and Shy! You both get your choice of book! I'll be contacting you both shortly! Thanks to everyone that entered and for all the new followers! And just because I basically forced you guys to answer the most difficult question ever, I tallied up everyone's "favorite couples." The top three are...

Rose and Dimitri from Vampire Academy (8)

Jace and Clary from Mortal Instruments (6)

Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy from Pride and Prejudice (6)

However there is just one more that I had to include.

Burt and Ernie from Sesame Street!

I have to say that totally made my day a lot better when I read that. I don't know how I missed it the first time, but that seriously cracked me up. Closeted gays. Lmfao.

Saturday, February 12, 2011

Synopsis: Riley Blackthorne just needs a chance to prove herself – and that’s exactly what the demons are counting on…

Seventeen-year-old Riley, the only daughter of legendary Demon Trapper, Paul Blackthorne, has always dreamed of following in her father's footsteps. The good news is, with human society seriously disrupted by economic upheaval and Lucifer increasing the number of demons in all major cities, Atlanta’s local Trappers’ Guild needs all the help they can get – even from a girl. When she’s not keeping up with her homework or trying to manage her growing crush on fellow apprentice, Simon, Riley’s out saving distressed citizens from foul-mouthed little devils – Grade One Hellspawn only, of course, per the strict rules of the Guild. Life’s about as normal as can be for the average demon-trapping teen.

But then a Grade Five Geo-Fiend crashes Riley’s routine assignment at a library, jeopardizing her life and her chosen livelihood. And, as if that wasn’t bad enough, sudden tragedy strikes the Trappers’ Guild, spinning Riley down a more dangerous path than she ever could have imagined. As her whole world crashes down around her, who can Riley trust with her heart – and her life?

My Review: There has been an increase of hype on this book lately and from all the reviews I read it seemed like a pretty good read. They all promised tons of action packed fight scenes and a twisted plot. I'm happy to say that The Demon Trapper's Daughter was one of those rare reads that lived up to the hype.

While this book contains a possible love quadrangle (is that a word?) I'm going to try not to dwell on all the guys in this book, because for me there is only one choice for Riley. Ninety percent of the time I really liked Riley. She was tough, witty, and had a "don't mess with me" attitude that I loved from the start. Having lost her mother to cancer at 14, her dad is the only family she has left. The two of them are incredibly close and Riley wishes to follow in her father's footsteps. She's the only girl in an all male occupation and she has to prove herself to the Guild. The other 10% of the time I just really kind of wanted to slap her. The phrase "whiny little brat" comes to mind. When I was 13 I don't think I ever conducted myself in that childlike of a manner. Riley was the most prejudiced MC I've read about in a long time. When she was fifteen she had a huge crush on Den (or Beck as she calls him). Den is five years older than her, newly returned from the war in Afghanistan, and is her father's new apprentice. Den rejects her on grounds of propriety and she forever holds a grudge? What?! Just what?! Huh?! I mean she totally hates his guts because of it. No matter what he does, it's wrong because he rejected her all those years ago. Childish much? Definitely. I half expected her to stomp her foot. I'm not saying that Riley had to be perfect, humans are flawed, characters should be too, but man was it annoying.

Okay I am devoting one paragraph to the guys in this book. Only one! Let's see there is Beck, Simon, and Ori. There's also Peter but he fits the role as designated best friend who has a secret crush and he just doesn't count. Nor do we actually get to meet him in the book other than phone conversations... Ori, the demon hunter, similarly doesn't count because he is just hunky eye candy who randomly helps out Riley a few times and saves her life on another. There's definitely a reason why Simon's nickname is "Saint". He is freakishly religious. I'll admit I am hugely biased right now. Hard core religious types freak me out so my judgment of him is probably not going to be fair. He is an incredibly nice guy, I'll give him that. Always courteous (even to the demons) and he's a perfect gentleman. Don't find that quality in many twenty year old apprentice demon hunters. Although he is the love interest, I just couldn't see why. Where was the spark between him and Riley? There wasn't one, that was the problem. He's sweet, cute, and treats Riley right, but do I see the relationship going anywhere? Absolutely not.

Okay I'm breaking my one paragraph rule. Denver Beck has to be one of my all time favorite male characters in a very long time. Den was Riley's father's apprentice, and was there the night Paul died. Den's banter and taunting while he was hunting demons was plain hysterical. He's sharp witted and is incredibly brave and fills the role of big brother for Riley. However, Den is a lot more than he seems. I'm very, very glad that we got his occasional POV throughout the story. If his POV wasn't included I probably wouldn't have liked him nearly as much. He was in the army when he was just a teenager and returned forever changed by the horrors of war. He care's deeply about Riley and will do whatever it takes to keep her safe, even if that means making her hate him. I could probably go on and on about Den because he was just that awesome, but I'll let you read to find out for yourself.

What really won me over on this book was it's originality. I loved how Jana explored the other side of the spectrum for the Heaven VS Hell battle. All the YA genre is lately is angels, angels, fallen angels, and more angels. Demons! Finally! Thank you! Hurrah! The whole concept of humans trapping demons was truly imaginative. The whole system of Holy Water manufacturing, trapping contracts, the rival hunters, and the Vatican's system for purging demons from the earth was truly fascinating. Major props for creativity. It was well thought out and truly enjoyable to read about. I even enjoyed all the demons. The litttle Biblios (every book bloggers worst nightmare!) were horrendous, but funny. I thought the Magpies were just plain adorable, partially because they go around stealing shiny things dressed as a ninja. The little ones were funny and would flip Riley off about every chance they got. The bigger ones on the other hand were a lot more terrifying. Though I have to say every time a Level 3 said "Crush your booones!" and waved it's claws about I burst out into hysterical laughter. But hey, that's just me and my weird sense of humor.

Overall, an incredibly original read that will keep you entertained from start to finish. It was full of fights (of the demon and fellow trapper type) and will keep you at the edge of your seat. The few minor character flaws in Riley are easily overlooked for the amazing overall story. If you're tired of the same old same old, then you definitely need to read this.

Wednesday, February 9, 2011

Guess what?! I've reached over 300 followers! You guys rock! XD I have the fuzzies. And like I promised there will be a second winner for the Giveaway of Love! Remember this is international and you have until Monday to get your entries in! I have to close at work on Valentines Day (BUMMER!) so you all have until 10 o'clock to be entered to win. If you haven't done so already here's the link to the entry FORM! A big thanks to all of you who've been pimping out the contest!

And in other giveaway news my good friend Steph @ Paper Cut Reviews is celebrating her blogs one year anniversary! She's having kick ass contests ALL MONTH LONG! That's right, you heard me. There are tons of prizes. Plus I'm donating two books of your choice as well, so go and ENTER! And you can count me as an extra entry since I'm a BBA member. Lucky you. XP

Tuesday, February 8, 2011

-Open to a random page
-Share (2) teaser sentences from somewhere on that page

-no spoilers!

-Share title and author

Well surprise, surprise I actually made some headway into my research paper book! And yes I'm STILL reading it! Don't look at me like that, I've only read it for like 4 hours tops.

Island by Aldous Huxley

"Between the red soaring crags to the south and the headlong descents in every other direction the crest of the ridge had been leveled, and at the mid-point of this long narrow terrace stood the temple."

Synopsis: The war has been over for 40 years, and finally Liza's town is accepting children born with fairy talents. Then a nearby town is destroyed, and Liza discovers that the war might not be over after all. It seems some faeries survived and have crossed over into the human world to continue the fight. And the most powerful and merciless of them all—the Queen herself—may be among them...

Liza is a Summoner. She can draw life to herself, even from beyond the grave. And because magic works both ways, she can drive life away. Months ago, she used her powers to banish her dangerous father and to rescue her mother, lost in dreams, from the ruined land of Faerie.

Born in the wake of the war between humanity and Faerie, Liza lived in a world where green things never slept, where trees sought to root in living flesh and bone. But now the forests have fallen silent. Even the evergreens’ branches are bare. Winter crops won’t grow, and the threat of starvation looms. And deep in the forest a dark, malevolent will is at work. To face it, Liza will have to find within herself something more powerful than magic alone.

Here at last is the sequel to Bones of Faerie, for all those fans of dark fantasy and dystopian adventure who thrilled to Janni Lee Simner’s unique vision of a postapocalyptic world infused with magic.

My Review: I was absolutely thrilled when I saw this on Around the World Tours. I completely adored Bones of Faerie and I had no clue that Janni was writing a sequel. It's been a long while since I read Bones of Faerie, but even with the gap I have to say that the sequel was just as good if not better. Faerie Winter picks up a few months after Liza successfully brought autumn into her world. It's now the dead of winter and Liza and her village fear that spring may never come. The once blood seeking plants have grown passive and harmless. Even with Liza's summoning abilities, the trees refuse to come out of their slumber. What Liza doesn't realize is that Faerie is as equally dead as her own world, and that the Fae have come to her world in search of life. When Liza and Mathew find a young boy's burned body buried in the woods, things start to fall apart. Ethan, a young firestarter, is found by Liza and taken in by Kate. It soon becomes apparent that Faerie is not so willing to part from Liza's world without wiping out all humans, including Liza.

I really loved how Janni continued this story. I was relatively satisfied with the ending to Bones of Faerie, but hey I'm not complaining. A lot of things were cleared up that had been unanswered. Tara and Kaylen's history, how the War really started, and the truth behind Kaylen and Karin's heritage. The story really filled out and made me love these books even more.

One thing I was just DYING for was some development between Liza and Mathew! Gah! There was just so much repressed feelings in the first one I was hoping that with six months of winter something would have happened! Besides hand holding occasionally and a quick kiss nothing happened until the VERY END! And I am talking about down to the last page! >.< It's clear that they care very deeply for each other, but it's like they're both afraid to take the next step. Their relationship is truly beautiful. They trust each other with their lives, and feel like they can depend on no one else. I particularly loved what Liza would say "We protect each other." Just so sweet. Plus there's the fact that Mathew spent 90% of the novel in wolf form. Was it critical to the story? Yes, but I still can't help but resent it a bit. I like Mathew :(

I really felt that Liza's character grew tremendously. Liza has always been so clear cut on everything she does. She doesn't hesitate in any situation. If she believes that someone is a danger to her loved ones, even if she wants to help them, she will do what needs to be done. She knows what is important, and doesn't let her own personal feelings overcome her judgment. Liza's tough as nails, but it was nice to see a more vulnerable side to her. Her attachment to Kyle, a young boy in the village, is very touching. She comes to care for him like her own family, and commits to taking care of him. Liza still has things to learn, and is willing to learn from Karin. When it's time to decide who to save in order to restore spring to the world, she doesn't hesitate. She's self sacrificing (and I hate to say that because it reminds me of Bella Swan) but Liza has the right intentions. I definitely grew more attached to Liza in this book.

These books combine my two favorite genre's. Faerie and dystopian fiction. In one word? Epic! The story is a brilliant mix of fantasy, love, and a dying world. Dark and gripping you'll devour it in one sitting. I definitely did. I'm really hoping for a third book! Partially because I want me some Mathew/Liza, and because I just don't feel like the story is quite over yet. Maybe with some begging and pleading my dream will come true. XD

Saturday, February 5, 2011

Covery Crazy is a meme created by Tawni @ The Bookworms to share book covers that you are thrilled about. This week it's WWW: Wonder by Robert Sawyer. This is the third book in his WWW trilogy and to say that I'm geeking out is a bit of an understatement. His books literally blow my mind. If you love a good sci-fi book that's rooted in the now (and is not a Star Trek-esque story) then Sawyer is definitely your guy. From the first book I was absolutely hooked and my inner geek just went nuts. Even if you're not heavily into sci-fi, this is an amazingly original series that will leave you sitting in awe. I'm so excited for this! Why do I have to wait till April?! Gah! But it's worth it, oh SO worth it.

And here are the first two covers as well. I just love them that much. XD

Tuesday, February 1, 2011

It's the month all us secret romantics love! February has arrived and along with it Valentine's Day! Okay well to be honest, I think Valentine's Day is the stupidest holiday ever. I'm not one of those psycho chicks who expect dinner, chocolate, and flowers. So since I don't celebrate the holiday, what better way to get in the spirit than hosting a giveway! I may not have a beau, but hey who needs one when I got all you lovely followers. XD As a thanks to all you wonderful people who've stuck with me for so long I figured I would show my appreciation by "sharing the love". Okay I'm being cheesy I know. So I'll keep this short, since you don't want to listen to me blather!

-Need to be a follower
-This is international (Book Depository is a wonderful thing)
-Gain an extra entry for every way you share!
-Tell me your all time favorite couple/love story
-Tell me what book you'd like to receive!

Simple enough right? You have until Valentines Day to enter! And if I reach 300 followers, I may add a second winner! Hey I'm 8 people away! Enter! XD Here's the form!